Composite body

Abstract

An article comprising a composite body, wherein the composite body can comprise ceramic particles distributed within a binder. The binder can include a cross-linked polymer of a first polymer and a second polymer wherein the first polymer is a water-soluble polymer, and the second polymer is a water-insoluble polymer. The composite body can have a water stability factor (WS) of at least 70%, and may be adapted for adsorbing and desorbing lithium ions. The composite body can further have a high bulk compression strength of at least 70 N.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An article comprising a composite body, the composite body comprising ceramic particles distributed within a binder, the binder including a cross-linked polymer of a first polymer and a second polymer,
 wherein
 the first polymer includes at least one water-insoluble polymer and the second polymer includes at least one water-soluble polymer; 
 the composite body has a water stability factor (WS) of at least 70%; 
 the composited body is adapted for adsorbing and desorbing lithium ions; and 
 the composite body has a bulk compression strength of at least 70 N. 
   
     
     
         2 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein an amount of the binder is at least 13 wt % based on the total weight of the composite body. 
     
     
         3 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein a breakthrough capacity for adsorbing lithium ions of the composite body is at least 3.5 mg/g. 
     
     
         4 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the water stability factor is at least 95%. 
     
     
         5 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the first polymer includes an acrylate polymer, or a styrene polymer, or an acrylate copolymer, a styrene-acrylate copolymer, a vinyl acetate copolymer, a styrene-butadiene copolymer, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The article of  claim 5 , wherein the first polymer includes an acrylate polymer. 
     
     
         7 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the second polymer includes a polysaccharide, or polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), or a polyethylene glycol (PEG), or a polypropylene glycol (PPG). 
     
     
         8 . The article of  claim 7 , wherein the second polymer includes a polysaccharide. 
     
     
         9 . The article of  claim 8 , wherein the polysaccharide includes a cellulose derivative, or a modified starch, or an alginate. 
     
     
         10 . The article of  claim 9 , wherein the polysaccharide includes carboxymethyl cellulose. 
     
     
         11 . The article of  claim 9 , wherein the polysaccharide includes carboxymethyl cellulose and alginate. 
     
     
         12 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein a weight percent ratio of the first polymer to the second polymer is at least 2:1 and not greater than 7:1. 
     
     
         13 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein a material of the ceramic particles includes lithium titanate, or lithium bayerite, or layered double hydroxide aluminate, or manganese oxide, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The article of  claim 13 , wherein the ceramic particles consist essentially of lithium bayerite. 
     
     
         15 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the composite body is a grain, a pellet, or a sheet. 
     
     
         16 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the article comprises a plurality of the composite body. 
     
     
         17 . The article of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of composite bodies have an average particle size (D50) of at least 10 microns and not greater than 5000 microns. 
     
     
         18 . The article of  claim 16 , wherein the article includes a column filled with the plurality of composite bodies. 
     
     
         19 . A method of forming a composite body, comprising:
 combining ceramic particles capable of adsorbing lithium ions, a first polymer, a second polymer and water to form a green body;   curing the green body to obtain a cured body; and   mechanically processing the cured body to obtain the composite body,   
       wherein the first polymer is a water-insoluble polymer having a water-solubility at 20° C. not greater than 0.1 g/l, and the second polymer is a water-soluble polymer having a water solubility at 20° C. of at least 1 g/l, 
       a water-stability factor of the composite body is at least 70%, and 
       a bulk compression strength of the composite body is at least 70 N. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein during curing of the green body, the first polymer and the second polymer at least partially cross-link with each other to form a cross-linked polymer.